{"id":659213,"date":"2026-06-26T11:27:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T11:27:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/659213\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T11:27:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T11:27:13","slug":"5-popular-smartphone-accessories-that-arent-worth-the-hype","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/659213\/","title":{"rendered":"5 popular smartphone accessories that aren’t worth the hype"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Samsung<\/p>\n

Aamir Siddiqui \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

I\u2019m usually willing to give any phone accessory I come across a chance, partly because I trust those Instagram influencers a little too much. And to be fair, sometimes the weirdest products end up being genuinely useful.<\/p>\n

But there are also times when I\u2019ve come across something and wondered who actually asked for it in the first place. Usually, that happens when an accessory fails to live up to the hype \u2014 or worse, creates more problems than it solves.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, here are the top five phone accessories<\/a> I think most people are better off skipping.<\/p>\n

What’s one phone accessory you can’t live without?<\/p>\n

14 votes<\/p>\n

Case<\/p>\n

71%<\/p>\n

Screen protector<\/p>\n

21%<\/p>\n

Power bank<\/p>\n

7%<\/p>\n

Other (tell me in comments)<\/p>\n

0%<\/p>\n

Camera lens protectors<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Pankil Shah \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

I get why camera lens protectors are so popular. Almost every phone these days has a large camera bump (except my beloved Google Pixel 10a<\/a>), so it\u2019s natural to worry about those lenses getting scratched. And when camera lens protectors only cost a few bucks, they can feel like an easy form of insurance.<\/p>\n

But the thing is, camera lenses in modern phones are already protected by durable, tempered glass. And yes, it can easily handle keys, pockets, tabletops, and everyday wear. By adding another layer of glass, you\u2019re simply adding a new point of failure. I\u2019ve tested both cheap and expensive lens protectors, and they often add glare or make photos appear too soft over time.<\/p>\n

The problems don\u2019t stop there. Because these lens protectors are made of subpar materials, they pick up scratches way too easily. And once that happens, peeling them isn\u2019t always as clean or hassle-free as it sounds. So yes, I\u2019d rather invest in a good case with a raised lip around the camera module than buy lens protectors.<\/p>\n

Charging cases<\/p>\n

\"anker<\/p>\n

Rita El Khoury \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

Battery anxiety is real, especially if you have a compact Android phone. In fact, it\u2019s one of the reasons why I don\u2019t use the battery protection feature on my Galaxy S26<\/a>. Of course, charging the phone to 100% alone may not be enough if you\u2019re always on the move. And that\u2019s where charging cases start to feel appealing. But my biggest complaint with them is bulk. When you\u2019ve spent good money on something like the Galaxy S25 Edge or the iPhone Air for its slim design, adding a charging case completely defeats the purpose.<\/p>\n

Another issue is heat. Charging a phone generates heat, and so does the battery packed inside the case. When two are pressed together, that heat doesn\u2019t dissipate as quickly. It\u2019s far more practical to use a compact power bank<\/a> instead. It\u2019ll give you the same extra battery capacity without permanently adding bulk and weight to your phone.<\/p>\n

Cheap Bluetooth trackers<\/p>\n

\"Samsung<\/p>\n

Pankil Shah \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a big fan of Bluetooth trackers<\/a>. If you\u2019re even a little forgetful like me and often misplace your keys or wallet, they\u2019re one of the best investments you can make. The catch is that not all trackers are created equal, and this is one category where going for the cheapest option can be a total waste of money.<\/p>\n

A lot of bargain-bin Bluetooth trackers look nearly identical to their premium counterparts, but the similarities are mostly skin-deep. I had bought a Panasonic Seekit tracker a while back on a whim because it was cheap. But its biggest limitation is that it only relies on a Bluetooth connection. Once the tracker goes out of my phone\u2019s Bluetooth range, it\u2019s practically useless.<\/p>\n

Sure, it does send those left-behind alerts in the app and even shows the last location, but that\u2019s only an approximate location based on where the connection was lost. More importantly, if the tracker moves after that point, its location never gets updated because it isn\u2019t part of a large tracking network.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I strongly feel any tracker that doesn\u2019t have access to Google Find Hub, Apple Find My, or Samsung SmartThings Find networks isn\u2019t worth the money. Without that ecosystem backing, most budget trackers are just glorified Bluetooth alarms.<\/p>\n

Privacy screen protectors<\/p>\n

\"Galaxy<\/p>\n

Zac Kew-Denniss \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

Nobody wants the person sitting next to them on a bus or train reading private messages over their shoulder, so I understand why privacy screen protectors<\/a> are so popular. They limit viewing angles, making it almost impossible for others to see what\u2019s on your screen from the sides.<\/p>\n

But that privacy comes at a cost \u2014 and that cost is screen quality. Most privacy screen protectors noticeably reduce brightness, making displays look dimmer. And if you crank up the brightness level to compensate for the dullness, there\u2019s another downside: battery life.<\/p>\n

A bigger issue is that the privacy screen protectors don\u2019t just block strangers from seeing your screen \u2014 they make it harder for you to see it too. For instance, if your phone is on a table, you can\u2019t just glance at it to check a notification. Because the privacy protector restricts viewing angles, you\u2019ll have to pick up the phone and look directly at it head-on to see what\u2019s on the screen. Unless you regularly work with sensitive information in public places, I don\u2019t think these trade-offs are worth it.<\/p>\n

Silicone suction phone cases<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Pankil Shah \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

I think silicon suction phone cases are a clever idea. The back of the case is covered with tiny suction cups that let you stick your phone to mirrors, windows, tiles, and just about any smooth surface you can find. Its biggest selling point is that you can use your phone hands-free for video recording, selfies, video calls, and even watching shows or movies.<\/p>\n

But these suction cups aren\u2019t as reliable. They only work on clean, flat surfaces, and even then, the grip isn\u2019t something I\u2019d trust with a phone that costs hundreds \u2014 or even thousands \u2014 of dollars. All it takes is a bit of dust or an improper hold for your phone to fall flat, and that\u2019s not a risk worth taking.<\/p>\n

The suction cups themselves are also annoying to live with. They tend to collect dust and dirt over time, making it harder to slide your phone in and out of your pocket. Personally, I think it\u2019s far more ideal to use a small tripod, even if it\u2019s a little less convenient.<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one thing I want you to take away from all of this, it\u2019s that just because an accessory is marketed well doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s worth your money. Of course, these are just my picks. If you\u2019ve tried an accessory that disappointed you, share it in the comments below.<\/p>\n

Thank you for being part of our community. Read our\u00a0Comment Policy<\/a> before posting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Aamir Siddiqui \/ Android Authority I\u2019m usually willing to give any phone accessory I come across a chance,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":659214,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[1751,2306,2334,86,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-659213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mobile","tag-accessories","tag-mobile","tag-smartphones","tag-technology","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/659213","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=659213"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/659213\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/659214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=659213"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=659213"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=659213"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}